Ravi Batra is the Senate Democrats’ choice to serve on the Joint Commission on Public Ethics–that isn’t to say they all approved. While Sen. John Sampson denied to me last Wednesday that their was any friction over his choice, a number of Democratic Senators were very concerned by his selection. Why?

Batra has ties to Clarence Norman a former Brooklyn Assemblyman/political boss who worked at Batra’s law firm. Norman was jailed for taking campaign contributions from judges in exchange for their support.

Batra’s selection is seen by many politicos–especially Brooklyn politicos–as a big Christmas present from Sen. John Sampson to the Brooklyn political machine–starting with its boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, who has faced a number of ethical questions.

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